


The Bridge That Connects us

by LadyUkkey



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: B.A.R.F. | Binarily Augmented Retro Framing, Bucky Barnes Feels, Clint being dubious, Consensual Mind Control, Damp Bucky, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, M/M, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Protective Bucky Barnes, Roaming hands, Steve Rogers Feels, Tony Being Caring, Tony being stuck inbetween two super soldiers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 18:02:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20492981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyUkkey/pseuds/LadyUkkey
Summary: Bucky and Tony have a system. But not everyone is all that sure about the system when its revealed during a mission.





	The Bridge That Connects us

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Juulna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juulna/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Bone Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13083813) by [Juulna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juulna/pseuds/Juulna). 

> Celebrations for the Stuckony Server ~ A remix of Bone Deep ~ I'm so so so sorry if I failed.  
Hopefully Enjoy.

Bruce and Tony had been trying to help Bucky with the conditioning, but it hadn’t all gone to plan. In the end, Bruce had to step away, leaving Tony to deal with an activated super soldier, searching for a solution. 

Hopefully this new protocol would help, but not everyone was confident. The BARF technology brought the Winter Soldier to the forefront of Bucky’s mind, rendering Bucky himself useless.

“Well...” Tony smiled nervously at Steve. “Here goes nothing.” He flipped the switch on the BARF machine, and the transformation from Bucky to Winter Soldier was  _ immediate _ . 

Tony jumped in front of 200 pound of raw power, grabbing his attention, and implemented the safety protocol.

“Soldat!” 

Grey eyes flicked from their current target -- the observing Captain -- to the Mechanic and back.

“Carousel, famine, lilac,  _ tranquillité _ , mirror,  _ castello _ , modernity.”

The asset’s posture changed, from aggressiveness to stiff obedience.

All too quickly, Steve was offended on his best friend’s behalf. “Tony! What the hell?”

“Just wait!” Tony held out a hand to stop Steve, not like it would do much, and swinged back to face the Soldier, getting up close and personal.

“Ty pomnish' missiyu?” - ‘Do you remember the mission?’

His voice was cold, almost hollow as he answered, “Utverditel'nyy” - ‘Affirmative.’

“Khorosho posmotri na menya” - ‘Good, look at me.’ 

The soldier complied, staring into Tony’s whiskey coloured eyes, just a glimmer of the man behind the mask there now.

Tony scanned the handsome face before slowly lifting his hands up, holding his jaw and planting a soft kiss on the Soldier’s lips.

The Asset’s stance loosened, his shoulders relaxed, and his arms came up to slip around Tony’s slim waist, pulling him closer.

Even with his eyes closed Tony knew this wasn’t the Winter Soldier anymore, this was Sergeant James Barnes, the man who stole hearts and danced until midnight. Just for a brief second, he let himself get lost, as the Sergeant deepened the kiss, snaking his tongue into his mouth. 

Steve stood by, a little shocked, and uncomfortably turned on by the sight before him. What had just happened?

Tony reluctantly pulled away and patted Bucky on the chest softly. “Back with us, princess?” 

“Ha, yeah.” Bucky was slightly sad now, fully back into his modern day self, the one that wasn’t so confident that someone who had done all the things he had should be standing so close to Tony.

“W-would you guys please explain?” Steve was beet red, sitting on the couch again.

Somewhere in his mind, Bucky was aware that this meant something, something extremely embarrassing to Steve, but he couldn’t quite grasp onto what. 

“It seems we haven’t been as successful as we’d liked. And, well, Bucky chose to add in this fail-safe, a new set of words to stop the Soldier from hurting anyone.”

“And the kiss?” Steve was shocked, turned on and appalled.

“Oh, yeah.” Tony coughed moving away from Bucky’s grasp completely, going over to his work station, taking down notes and ignoring the warm sensation in his stomach that still lingered. “It seems as though the Soldier has, well, taken a liking to me.”

Steve frowned not knowing what to do with that piece of information. “A  _ liking _ to you?”

Tony blinked and actually blushes slightly. “Yes, a liking.”

“How?”

“Do I have to explain the birds and the bees to you, Capsicle?”

Steve went through a series of emotions quickly before settling on an answer. “No, I just...He could have hurt you?”

Bucky grumbled something under his breath before blurting out, “I AM here, you know?”

“So?” Steve turns to him. “Do you know why?”

Bucky merely shrugs, he knew why, it's because he liked the genius too, but he was never going to admit that.

\---

They were being heavily attacked; these robots were relentless.

Everyone was on form though, with Clint taking people out on point, while Tony and Sam covered the skies, the Captain and Widow battling it out on foot, and the Hulk, well, smashing.

Tony heard it rather than saw it, an uncomfortable grunt as Clint and Bucky were overwhelmed by the enemy. Clint was running as fast as he could away from the scampering machines as Bucky crushed one before throwing another into a gaggle of them.

Bucky took off running, sounding slightly desperate when he called out, “Stark!”

“I can shoot them, bear with me!” Tony swung around, taking out as many as he could with well-aimed repulsor blasts, as the ex-assassin sped through the surrounding rubble, until he, he stopped, head whipping around, stance lowered, hand curling and uncurling like in awe of his own self.

“Carousel, famine, lilac,  _ tranquillité _ , mirror,  _ castello _ , modernity.” 

_ “Soldat! _ Cover the Captain, then come and find me once he dismisses you.” Tony’s voice rang out loud and clear - which was then followed by several cries of “What the hell, Stark?” from Sam and Natasha.

They fought side by side, a super soldier dream team, taking out as many enemies as they could. It soon became clear the battle was won. 

Not before trying to intimidate Natasha, the Soldat ran to find his Man of Iron, who landed in a slightly secluded area, flicking the face-plate up. The Asset, no,  _ their _ Asset as there is something twinkling in those silver eyes, looked over Tony’s face, searching. He stepped forward, walking around the suit, checking for what? Tony thought as he moved his head around, trying to keep an eye on him. He maybe under his control but he still wasn’t to be trusted. “Sol-”

Warm lips hit his in desperate kiss, strong arms pushing him, metal screeching as he was moved up against a wall. Tony opened his mouth, what else could he do, lost in the Soldier’s attack on his lips, he moaned a little as a skillful tongue battled with his own.

“Tony, take off the suit…” Bucky’s voice was dark and alluring, heavy with arousal as he leaned his forehead against Tony’s.

A shrill vioce interrupted them, “What the fuck!?” Clint.

“Why? Why would you do that? _ ”  _ Bruce almost disappointed.

“You can't seriously be controlling him?” Sam, in no way trusting what he was seeing.

Bucky took on a defensive stance between the team and Tony. This wasn’t Tony’s fault - Tony was the solution to the problem.

Steve and Natasha arrived as the guys continued to throw glares Tony’s way.

Tony looked at Natasha quickly as she eyed the closeness of his and Bucky’s bodies, his protective stance and their flushed cheeks. She didn’t smile or frown, just observed.

Bucky nodded at Steve, and the blond let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god that worked.”

“Can someone tell us what’s going on here?” Clint was furious, Tony was a sneaky little motherfucking…

“My conditioning can't be erased.” Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose, he would just have to tell them in the simplest way possible, not like he could explain it the way Tony did anyway. “Well, not yet at least, so we have re-wired it, to act for us, instead of against us. Tony,” he sighed, not looking up from the floor. “The Soldier chose Tony as his handler and, well, he is the one that changed it so I trust him to be in control of it.”

The team stood tense for a moment, Sam spoke up hesitant, “And you’re safe like that?”

Tony spoke this time, “I’m not going to lie to you guys,” Clint gave a scoff at that. “But. We don’t know, this is the first time its happened in the field.” He eyed Bucky, watching for any change in his posture.

Bucky just stood, separating Tony from the others, looking at their unsure faces. “I trust him with my life, and that’s all there is to know. Now, I think we all need to head home.”

The team was unsettled, but Bucky never really was sure about anything, he was always wishy-washy. Apart from his regimented meal times. So, collectively, they headed to the quinjet. The ride home was very quiet. 

\--- 

Bucky came out of his shower not really feeling anything at all, his head was numb for once, and in silence he settled, bare chested as he dried his hair. He could hear someone else in his room but he didn’t react. The sound of the heartbeat was familiar, safe. 

“What’s going on, Buck?” 

The long haired brunet joined the Captain at the end of his bed and sat down, letting out a sigh. “With what Stevie? I'm a tired 90 year old man in the skin of a 35 year old, I have unrequited feelings for Stark, I fight alongside some of the most spectacular people in the world and I have so, so much blood on my hands.”

“Buck, that wasn’t you.” Steve sounded desperate.

“You just sound like a broken record Steve I’m sick and tired of having this conversation with you, I’m not who you want me to be, I'm never going to be the man you fell in love with.”

Steve turned sad eyes on his former lover and long time friend. The only man he really could ever really be himself around now and then. “You know that’s not what I want from you, I just want to help you.”

“For fucks sake Steve I really hate that! I hate that you see me as someone who’s broken and needs to be fixed! I hate the way you cling onto me like a bloody scared cat!” Bucky huffed and flopped back onto the bed, an arm over his eyes. “But most of all, I hate the way you love me. I just, you need to see me for who I am now, except that this is just how I am. I am going to be hard to be around and I am going to be stubborn and cold, it doesn’t mean you need to fix me, I spent so many years isolated I do sometimes get lonely and just want to be around someone without being bothered, just be in their company. I’m not okay but that’s for me to handle. Not anyone else.” 

It was Steve’s turn to huff, he wanted to reach out and touch the man he once knew so intimately, he was different but not entirely. He was still Bucky, but the man only saw all the bad in himself and maybe Steve did only see all the good but it was quite clear someone saw both. “And Tony does, Tony knows when to be quiet and when to talk. He sees the things I’m sometimes too blind to see.” Steve placed a large hand on bucky’s thigh and the brunet moved his arm and head to the side to peer up at Steve. 

“All I ask, Buck, is that you lean on me when you need it, now that I know, just don’t shut me out.” 

Bucky patted the spot next to him and Steve obliged, lying down on his side, arm pillowing his own head. Bucky stared at the ceiling for a little longer before closing his eyes, listening to his friend’s breathing, it was comforting. Chuckling, he started recalling a memory. “You know it’s odd but also comforting that you breath so well, I remember that summer your hayfever was so bad I had to take you home half way through our date to Coney Island.” 

Bucky turned to look at the blond and his smile was just as wide as that jaw-line of his. He studied the handsome face for a moment before leaning in to kiss him, sweet and tender. 

Steve paused momentarily before returning the kiss, deepening it a little. Tongue moving in to tangle with Bucky’s. 

Bucky inhaled quickly, pulling back for a minute searching the ocean blue eyes, they were honest, open and oh so lonely. He then leaned back in for another slow kiss, this time exploring the other man's mouth with his.

They kissed languidly for a while, both just enjoying the slow movement of learning each other’s mouths. Steve let his free hand wander a little, slowly and softly touching the smooth chest. Enjoying the way the strong muscles that rivaled his own twitched and shifted. It wasn’t just Bucky’s mind that had changed, it was his body too and that sparked something inside him, during the war when Steve had been morphed by the serum they hadn’t been able to share many moments together and the few they had were frenzied kisses and hurried blowjobs in the dead of night, when adrenaline and nightmares had kept them awake. This, this was different. 

Bucky groaned rolling on top of the blond pushing the large man onto his back and slotting those hips against his own. Feeling the hard cock against his thigh he pushed into the kiss even more, deepening it and grinding down with his own very evident erection. Steve moaned in response and Bucky smiled, chuckling a little. “A little pent up Stevie? Haven’t let out once in a while with someone here in the 21st century? I hear guys and gals are real adventurous now, would put us to shame.” 

Steve pulled their foreheads together, stroking the nape of the other man's neck, “It’s only ever been you Buck.” 

Bucky couldn’t help but smother his former lover with kisses again, reaching in between their bodies to fumble with the material there until Steve’s cock was free. He smiled, coming back for air as Steve pulled the towel around his waist free. “There we go,” Bucky started to suck bruises into the blond’s neck now, rubbing their erections together.

Humping like love-drunk teenagers, Steve couldn’t help but throw his head back and moan at the feel of Bucky’s hand around them both. It had been too long, he wasn’t going to last. Moving his own hips frantically he could feel the brunet’s hold tightened a little, this sent splinters of pleasure swooping in his abdomen. 

“Oh, shit, shit. Ung.” Bucky let out a low groan as his and Steve’s release spilled out, splattering his clean chest and dripping down onto the blond’s clothed one. Lying there for a moment he basked in the warmth before rolling off and grabbing his towel, cleaning himself up as Steve’s lifted his top off.

Lying there both breathing heavily, muscles relaxed, Steve sighed, “I have to know, is it only the Soldier that likes Tony or do you think the reason he likes him is because you actually like the man as well?” 

“I don’t know, and I don’t know if he’s willing to let me find out either after what I’ve done…”

“After what you’ve done? You’re not what they made you, and that man... that genius has let you use his technology, has built you an arm and has helped create a whole new you to not only protect us, but protect yourself from whatever monster they created, and he knows just like I do that whatever happened. it wasn’t who you are. As a man. You're your own creation, life changes parts of you but you are still the man I love and to be honest, deep down, I’m a little bit in love with him too.”

“I didn’t say I loved him.”

“You didn’t have to, jerk.”

\---

It had been a few days since Bucky and Steve has had some fun and they’d stayed close, kisses every now and then in private but Steve felt Tony needed to know needed to be apart of this especially with how Buck was right now, torn between the past and the present and Tony was the bridge that joined them all together even for Steve, the small infuriating man had made him feel so much more comfortable in this new era. 

Bucky was locked in, going on with a simulation, Steve watching from the sofa in the workshop and Tony on his stool, attention on the sharp shooter and the streams of information on his floating screens. 

Steve took a breath before, “Hey Tony?”

“Yeah Capsicle?” Tony’s head turned but his eyes stayed trained on the sniper in the simulation.

“You know me and Buck have, erm, been getting close recently...” Steve flushed a little. They had been it was just embarrassing to say out loud even now.

“Oh.” Tony looked a little sad, eyes leaving the Soldier for just a moment before looking back up.

The Captain took that as a sign standing to move closer, letting out a sigh he went for it, “You know that doesn’t mean there isn’t any room for you.”

Tony let out a shuddering breath, finally turning to look at the blond. “You don’t know what that means Steve.”

“I do and,” Steve let out a long breath, “I’m happy with that change, with us. Your the only one who gave the time to introduce me to this century and well, when I look at it. Your the only one I would want to. Your an amazing human being and I know its greedy of me but I want to know how much more you have to offer.” With that the Captain leaned in to claim the mechanics mouth, surprised by the squeak he received before the plump lips gave in moving in time with his. 

They got lost for a while before a thunking was heard against the glass, both looking up in panic they saw Bucky at the glass both hands on either side of his face smiling. 

His simulation had finished. Nothing had triggered him. But most of all, his two favorite people where frenching like school boys, “Does that mean we can both stop pretending this hasn’t changed us Tony?” 

“How can it be the only people I’ve ever fell in love with are both in love with each other, what  _ are _ the odds?” Tony ginned before pulling the Captain into another kiss, the hiss of the doors letting Bucky out. And warm hands on his shoulders. 

The odds indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> ~  
Constructive criticism, questions and anything else you might have for us is welcomed and appreciated.


End file.
